Tapiche cruise

An exceptional journey inside the amazonian rainforest…

Latitud Sur is the only tour operator that proposes to visit two national reserves in one cruise: the famous Pacaya Samiria reserve and the secret Matses reserve.

Fron Iquitos, a 12 days cruise in one of the most wild rivers in the peruvian Amazon, the Tapiche river, close to the Matses indians on a wooden traditional boat that works to preserve biodiversity. A travel in small groups (10 persons maximum) close to Brazil !

Journey Description

D1: Reception at the airport or at your hotel in the morning (as soon as possible) and transfer to the M/F Selva Viva. Departure of the cruise sailing up the Amazon River. Lunch will be served on the sundeck where you will be amazed by the beautiful landscapes. Arrival in the afternoon at Quebrada Tamshyacu. Excursion with the skiff for a first contact with the tropical jungle. Dinner and night on board, in a wild site.

D2: Breakfast on board while the cruise will continue sailing on the Amazon River to the community of Hueyci. Jungle hike to visit three villages and observe the canopy from the hills. The inhabitants will show you their daily activities according to the season. Lunch on board while we sail to Yanayacu de Yacapana and its network of lagoons. Fishing session at sunset. Dinner and night on board.

D3: Early in the morning, we will explore the lagoons around the village for birdwatching. Breakfast on board during the navigation to the small Yarapa River. In Jaldar, jungle hike with a local guide who will explain the forest natural resources management by the inhabitants, and particularly the medicinal plants use. You will appreciate the unbelievable biodiversity of the area. Dinner and night on board in this wild site.

D4: Breakfast on board while we are sailing to San José in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. Walking in the jungle for watching the Hoatzin, prehistorical-looking bird species and Victorias Regias/Amazonicas (giant lilies). Resume of navigation on the Ucayali River, one of the two main rivers giving birth to the Amazon.

D5: We will start the navigation early in the morning to reach the Quebrada Supay. Breakfast and lunch on board. We will leave in the beginning of the afternoon to go the community Aucayacu on the skiff. First meeting with an indigenous Matses family. Visit of the community and surroundings. Back to the boat in the end of the afternoon. Night at the entrance of the Quebrada Supay.

D6: Breakfast before going for a hike (around 2 hours) from the entrance of the Quebrada to the community Once de Agosto where we will be waiting for the Selva Viva. We will resume navigation to enter on Rio Tapiche up to the Quebrada Yarina in the late afternoon. Exploration in boat and possibility to fish piranhas. Diner and night on board.

D7: We will navigate around 5am to reach Quebrada Aleman in the middle of the morning. Navigation on the skiff to the community of Monte Sinai. Discovery of the community and meeting with inhabitants who will introduce their daily activities. Back to the boat for the breakfast and navigation to Galicia where we will arrive in the end of the afternoon. Diner and night exploration in the search for caimans, monkeys and nightbirds.

D8: Engines start at 5am to navigate to Quebrada Torno. Trip on the skiff to the community Vila Buen Jesus de la Paz. Visit of the village and jungle hike to look for rare monkey Monk Saki (Pithecia monachus) and couples of macaws. Attempt to see the Araipama Giga, the largest fresh water fish of the world. Possibility to have breakfast in the community. Back on board around 5pm. Diner and night on board.

D9: Start of engines at 7am to reach Cocha Garza (lagoon) in the early afternoon. Exploration of the lagoon on the skiff to observe numerous species of birds. The lagoon is located in an area where scientists are working to discover new wildlife. Return to the boat in the evening. Diner and night around the area. Possibility of a night walk to observe nocturnal wildlife.
D10: Departure at 7am to start the sail down to Nauta. In the morning, we will explore on the skiff a small tributary of the Tapiche to observe the wildlife and flora. Lunch on board. We will stop us in the beginning of the afternoon in the community of Callao and meet a Matses family. Back to the boat to resume the navigation to Galicia where we will stay for the night.

D11: Departure at 7am to reach Sapuena around 9am. Visit of the community and exploration of a small river of the same name. Back to the boat for midday and navigation down to where the Ucayali and Marañon Rivers meet to give birth to the Amazon. We will then enter the Marañon River up to Fundo Casual, area of primary and secondary forest where a local guide will show us a giant strangler tree and tropical poisonous frogs (at day or at night according to the time of arrival).

D12: After breakfast, we will take the skiff to explore Nauta Caño, inside the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve. This network of lagoons is the home to many species of birds, particularly herons and eagles. It is also common to observe iguanas and groups of squirrel monkeys. Return to the Selva Viva before lunch. We will sail to Nauta, our port of arrival. Visit of the town, we will take a walk to the Sapi-Sapi park to see the Giant Arapaimas (Arapaima Gigas), turtles and caiman. Transfer back to Iquitos.

Reservation

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